Spanish 8 Course: L516 2017-2018 Room 112 Sra. Faxon (845) 298-5000 ext. 50732 suzette.faxon@wcsdny.org Prerequisites: You must have completed 1 year of Spanish. Course Description: Learning a new language can be a very exciting and enjoyable experience. I encourage you to participate in and enjoy the activities planned for this academic school year. Spanish level I is spread over a two-year period in grades 7 & 8. The curriculum is centered on topics that are consistent with real life situations. Topics covered in 8 th grade are: Review of select topics from last year Earning a living (Professions) & Numbers over 100 Food & Meal Taking Health and Wellness (Ch. 6) Summer & Winter Vacations /Physical Environment (includes regular preterite AR verbs; Ch. 7) Leisure (Movies, TV Shows, Party, Sports) (includes regular preterite ER & IR verbs; Ch. 8) Clothing/Shopping/Community (Ch. 9) Travel (Ch. 10) Review of House and Home Review of both 7 th & 8 th grade material along with practice final exams in preparation for the 8 th grade Final Exam In order to receive credit for Spanish I, you must complete 2 years of Spanish (7 th & 8 th grade) and a locally created Final Exam (8 th grade Final Exam). Textbook: Our textbook is Así Se Dice and Te Toca a Ti. You can assess the online version of your textbook, online flashcards (including Verb eflashcards), world news and more online at http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0076604233/student_view0/. The web address for the estudio for your textbook is: http://estudio.quia.com/books/. This is a great site for home study. It is highly recommended that all students review and study for about 15 minutes each night! I also post copies of my vocabulary lists on my teacher s website on the Wappinger s school district s website (http://www.wappingersschools.org)
Extra Help: I am available during my prep periods (by appointment only) for extra help. I check my email most school nights around 8pm. If you send it later, I won t see it until the next day. Materials Needed: Items you will need to bring to class every day: at least a 1 inch binder (you can share with another class as long as you have a dedicated section for Spanish) 4 Dividers labeled Notes, Classwork/Homework, Quiz/Test, and Journals Pens* (black and blue only) and Pencils (#2) *Purple pen is not allowed on Loose leaf paper any assignments. A pack of dry erase markers Box of tissues (for the classroom) Items you will need to keep at home: A pack of crayons/markers/colored pencils (just one & whichever you prefer; keep at home for projects) Construction paper or blank printer paper (used for projects; keep at home) An English Spanish Dictionary or a dictionary app on your phone/personal electronic device (I recommend Word Reference). Additional binder/folder to keep completed topics at home (Students need to keep vocabulary & grammar packets from 7 th grade for 8 th grade) Index cards (highly suggested for making flash cards to study vocabulary) Evaluation & Grading Policy: Quarterly grades are based on: Do Nows/Class work 10% Homework - 10% Quizzes/Journals 25% Tests / Projects 40% Speaking/ Class Participation 15% You will not be permitted to retake any exams (quizzes or tests) nor will you be allowed to make any corrections. If you are absent the day of a unit/chapter test, you must make an appointment with me to make up the listening & speaking parts of the exam. You will be asked to complete class work in Google classroom and Quizlet. I will have students join both in class prior to assigning any work on your own. Since you will be required to do work on Google classroom and Quizlet outside of the class, you will need a computer with internet capability or another electronic device to complete it. If this is an issue for you, please talk to me individually. Classwork/Do Nows are graded according to the following scale: = 100, L = 70, ½ = 50 or 0. The grade is based on effort and completeness.
Homework is an effort grade. I don t expect it to be done perfectly, but I do expect it to be done and on time. Any assignment done during class while we are reviewing it or copied from a classmate is an automatic zero. Homework will be accepted late (and marked as half credit), but only up to one week. Any homework assignment turned in after one week will be a zero. If no written homework is assigned, it is highly recommended that all students review and study vocabulary for about 15 minutes each night. Projects are to be handed in on time. Projects will receive 10 points off if turned in on the late day. No projects will be accepted after the late day. You will be assigned timed journal assignments in class. Journals count as a quiz grade and are graded by a rubric. You must complete the journal in the allotted time in class; you will not be allowed to bring it home and finish it! Class Participation: This is a class where your participation will enable you to better learn how to read, write, speak, and understand spoken Spanish. Therefore, your participation, effort and attitude count toward your grade. Extra Credit: Extra credit is not offered on an individual basis. However, there are times when the class is told about an extra credit assignment that anyone may do. All extra credit assignments are graded as normal assignments and must be turned in by the due date. Classroom Policies, Rules & Expectations: All school rules apply please refer to your student handbook. Please raise your hands and wait to be called on before speaking In order to be on time, you must be in your assigned seat and have your Spanish materials out at the sound of the bell! Please be on time! You will receive a verbal warning for the first late (without a pass). The second late (without a pass) will result in a phone call/email home. If you are late to class 3 times (without a pass), you will receive a referral to an administrator. Cell Phone Policy: Cell phones can pose a distraction to classroom instruction. Students are required to keep their cell phones off and out of sight, unless otherwise instructed to do so by the teacher. I have designated a safe space in the classroom where students can safely store their cell phones during class. Should your child decide not to store their phone during class and uses it without authorization, it will be handed in to the assistant principal for the remainder of the day. Should it happen on more than one occasion, the student must then store the phone during class daily. Classroom Management When you enter the class, you should take one copy of any papers on the table (by the door), sit in your assigned seat and work on the do now (hagan ahora). I will start the class by saying, Buenos días/buenas tardes clase.
Bathroom passes will be given out in an emergency only and you must ask permission in Spanish. You must also sign out & in the binder by the door. Please make sure your handwriting is legible. Keep your hands, feet and all objects to yourself at all times. Pay close attention in class!!! In a foreign language class, concepts build on one another. Remember when someone else is talking, to be respectful and listen to what they have to say. If you d like to participate in class, please raise your hand and wait to be called on. Homework (tarea) is due at the beginning of class the day after it is assigned (unless specified otherwise) and you will have homework 2-3 times a week. Weekly Homework Sheets You will receive a sheet listing out what the assigned homework is for each day of the week on Mondays (or the first day of the school week). It is your responsibility to refer to it each night. A copy will also be posted on my teacher site (www.wappingersschools.org, go to Schools and then Van Wyck Junior High School, next click on Teachers and then click on Faxon, Suzette ), and in the classroom. You can also choose to have the homework sheet emailed to you each week. (Please provide your email address on the procedures sign off sheet. Note: ALL students will automatically be emailed the weekly homework sheet to their school email address.) Miscellaneous No chewing gum or food is allowed in class. You can have a water bottle. Electronic devices are to be out of sight unless specifically directed by the teacher for classroom use. Cheating will not be tolerated!! Only Spanish work is to be done in Spanish class. A phone call/email home will be made when I am concerned about your progress in class (i.e. grades, effort, missing assignments, etc.). If you choose to break a rule: 1 st Time: You will receive a verbal warning. 2 nd Time: You will receive another verbal warning and you will also be asked to stay after class. 3 rd Time: You will receive lunch detention and/or a phone call home. Severe disruptions: Students will be sent to the office immediately and a referral and a phone call home will follow. Repeated Offenses: After all of the above procedures have been done, you will then receive a written referral. Absences:
If you are absent, you must make up class work within three days from the date of absence. It is your responsibility as the student to check the absent folder for missed assignments when you return to class. Work that is not turned in/ made up within three days from the date of absence will result in an automatic zero. If you are absent the day of a unit/chapter test, you must make an appointment with me to make up the listening & speaking parts of the exam. Dismissal from Class/ Lessons Students are expected to stay in their assigned seats until the bell rings (unless directed to do otherwise for group/partner activities). You will not be dismissed early to go use the phone, to go to the office, etc. If you have a lesson, you may not miss a quiz or a test. You may however go to your lesson once you have turned in your quiz/test. If there is no test or quiz the day of your lesson, you must let me know before class that day you have a lesson and make sure you get the homework for that evening. To ensure both you and your parent/guardian have read these rules and procedures, I am requesting that you, the student, and the parent/guardian, sign below and return the bottom portion to me no later than Friday, September 8 th, 2017. If it is returned to me on time you will receive a 100% a homework grade. If you have any questions, please call me at 298-5000 ext. 50732 or email me at suzette.faxon@wcsdny.org. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I have read and understand the syllabus for Sra. Faxon s Spanish 8 class. I also understand that by signing and returning this form I agree to abide by its contents. This sign off sheet is due by Friday, September 8 th, 2017. *Please Print Legibly!* (Print Student s Name) (Sign Student s Name) (Print Parent/Guardian s Name) (Sign Parent/Guardian s Name) (Parent/Guardian s Email*) (Class Period) (Date) *Email address is only if you wish to receive the homework sheet weekly via email. All students will automatically receive the weekly homework sheet to their school email addresses.